BEEF & VEGETABLE COTTAGE PIE

Beef & Vegetable Cottage Pie image

Number Of Ingredients 14

1 1/2 pounds Potatoes (3 medium) peeled and cut into 1 1/2- to 2-inch pieces
1 dash Salt
1 pound Lean Ground Beef or lean ground lamb
1 tablespoon Corn or canola oil
1 cup Coarsely chopped onion (1 medium)
1 cup Finely chopped carrots (2 medium)
1/2 cup Finely chopped celery (2 stalks)
1 stalk Large leek (white part only), halved lengthwise, cleaned and cut into thin slices
2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup Chicken broth (low sodium if canned)
2 tablespoons Tomato paste
1/4 cup Whole milk
2 tablespoons Unsalted butter, melted
1 dash Freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

Put the potatoes is a medium saucepan, fill it with enough water to cover the potatoes, and season with salt. Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil over high heat, then adjust the heat to cook the potatoes at a gentle simmer until they test tender with a fork, about 20 minutes.
Position a rack in the middle of the over. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Have ready a baking dish with a 2 1/2- to 3-quart capacity.
In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until it is no longer pink, stirring with a fork to break up any clumps. Remove the meat to a large bowl and set aside. Heat the oil in the skillet for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the onion, carrots, celery, leek, and garlic. Cover the pan and cook the vegetables for about 5 minutes just to soften them. Stir the vegetables into the reserved cooked meat. Put the chicken broth in a small bowl and sitr in the tomato paste, then stir it into the meat mixture. Add salt and pepper. Transfer the filling to the baking dish.
Drain the potatoes and put them in the large bowl of an electric mixer. Add the melted butter and milk and beat on low speed until smooth, about 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper and spread the potatoes over the filling. Use the back of a fork to draw crisscrossing lines over the top.
Bake until the edges of the potato topping are browned and the filling is bubbling gently, about 35 minutes. Use a large spoon to scoop out servings of potato and filling.